Whistle actuating and control means



Patented Oct. 17, 1939 2,176,458

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WHISTLE ACTUATING AND CONTROL MEANS Edwin George Goddard, Lombard, 111., assignor to American Flyer Mfg. 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 19, 1936, Serial No. 86,058

2 Claims. (Cl. 104-149) My invention relates to whistle actuating and passes in making the sound, a motor 23 directly control means for toy electric locomotives, and connected to a fan 24, and a relay coil 25 perhas for its primary object the provision of an manently connected between a power rail shoe ordinary dry cell battery included in a circuit 29 and the tender body. One side of said motor which acts to supply D. C. current and which is being permanently connected to the tender body I; conducted through the same electrical circuits and the other side being connected by an armaas the alternating current used for operating ture of said relay coil, when energized, to a power the train, with means therefor whereby the rail shoe 28, all of these parts being the usual whistle actuating means is controlled. types of devices used commercially and well Another and further object of my invention known in the art. The relay coil 25 is adapted 10 is the provision of a simple and eflicient means to be energized by direct current only. whereby direct current is supplied and transmit- For the purpose of controlling electric current ted through the same circuit as the alternating for the operation of the train and for blowing a current passes in operating thetrain, thereby re whistle, I provide a transformer 30 having a ducing materially the number of parts, circuits, usual lead-in wire 3|, 2. ground post 32, and an 15 and control means for the operation of the whisoutlet post 33 thereon, the transformer being of tie on an electric locomotive. theordinary commercial form and adapted to Another and further object of my invention reduce the usual 110 volt A. C. electric house is the provision of a simple means for supplying current to a voltage of from 12 to 25 volts alterdirect current, which can be easily replaced hating current.

should occasion require, without any great I also provide a whistleand train control memamount of difiiculty or trouble and at a very small ber 34 located at the wayside, preferably adjacost. cent the track and having the necessary switches.

These and other objects of my invention will resistances, coils and wiring connections therein,

be more fully and better understood by reference and having a power input post 35 thereon to 13 to the accompanying sheet of drawings, and in which is connected a lead wire 36 from the power which-- post 33 on the transformer. A ground post 31 Figure 1 is an elevatlonal view of a toy elecis also provided on the whistle control member 34 tric locomotive tender and tracks therefor, with having a lead wire 38 connected thereto, which a whistle and control apparatus mounted therein turn is connected to the ground post 32 on w on; and the transformer 30. Also mounted in the con- Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view, including the trol 34 are posts 38 and 40 to which the track various electrical parts necessary for the operaleads I! and 20 respectively are connected.

tion of the train, together with a wiring dia- Mounted in the member 34 is a switch 41 adgram illustrating the wiring and switches neces jacent a spring member 42, having a contact 85 sary for the control of the apparatus. member 43 thereon adapted to normally engage Refe rin now sp ifi y t e drawin in the switch member 4|. This is a double throw which like reference characters refer to like parts member adapted t alternately engage a com throughout, a track section i0 is shown comtact member 44 on a spring member 45, and a.

p s Outer Wheel bearing s H and 6011- contact member on a spring member 46 which nected togethe y metallic sleepers l3, and a is provided and which extends alongside another power rail l4 which is insulated from the sleepers spring member 41 having a Contact member 8 Rail has Secured thereto a clip having thereon, with an insulating member 49 being ina terminal H5 at one side thereof by means of t oduce b tween the rm me be 5 which the usual lead wire I! is connected there- A lgadewire 50 is g f i f 33 3 Sg 2 gg zi i zgg ga fi ggi ffi the input post 35 to the spring member 42, with taching clip l9 th r t which a lead wire 20 another lead 5| being provided from the spr ng is secured, the sleepers connecting the wheel member u to the Spring member A p 50 bearing rails being conductors through which 8.1108 C011 52 t0 stabilize the 105d 15 provided current may now is the usual insulating having a connection 53 leading therefrom to the m spring member 4|. Attached to the spring mem- A tender 2| is shown upon which th usual ber 41 is a lead 54 which is connected to one whistle assembly is mounted, and which comside of an ordinary one volt dry cell battery 55, 55 prises .an air chamber 22 through which the air and which supplies direct current for the pur- 5| spring member 59 is a switch member 63 having a 64 connected thereto and leading to the outlet post 39 on the control member '34; The;

i5 a; spring member 60 has a switch member 65 lo cated adjacent thereto, with a lead 'iliexte'nding, therefrom to a resistance coil G'Iywhich in turzi is connected to the post on the whistle and train control member 34. -A lead 68 is provided which is connected to post 40 and outlet post 31,

In Fig. 2 the locomotive is indicated at'L'and its driving motor at M. i I

In operation, the connections as illustrated show the toy train in operation with the current passing through the transformer 30, lines 35 and 38jthrough the lead 50, switch H, lead lines 53 and 56, coil 51, to lead 58, throughjthe switch 63 and lead 64 to the outlet post 35 and into the wheel bearing rails l Ll I21 and which complates the circuit through the power rail 1 4, and the motor/of the locomotive back through the lead 20, lead 68 to the outlet post 31 on the whistle control member '34, When it is desired to blow the whistle while the train is i'n'operation, v the .switch- H is thrown into a position opposite to that shown in thefdrawing, into contact with the member 45, thereby closing the train operating circuit through thecoil 52, switch member and lead ,58,through the switch 63, in the same manner as heretofore described. Atthe same time the circuit through the battery is closedthrough the lead Stout to the lead 56, through the reactance 51, through the switch 63, through theleads l1 and 20 and through the transformer windings andleads' therefrom to the switch member lfi vthereby" energizing the coil 25, thereby attracting the pivotally mounted con- --tact member and closingthe circuitfzi tothe motor 23 operating; the air-whistle; thus causing the whistle to operate as long as this circuit'ds kept closed. II this Sw tch 4| is pushedintermittently, the whistle will be sounded in blasts to simulate that of areal locomotive. 'I'hevswitch 4| being a double throw switch, thetrain continues to operate regardless of the position 01' this switch. During its normal operatio'nihe switch 63 is kept in closed position, ,the s'witch being used for the purpose ofop'ening andclosing the motor, operating circuit f oi the train and in connectionwith' certain types of commercially and well l rnown'traidcontrol "systems can be us'edto cause the trainto back up and the like, which devices form no part of myf'present inventionfl If the train is" not in motionfit may here-cm desirable to soundthe whistle, in which case' the switches -4 l and 65 are "operatedi In "operating switch 4|, connection is broken -betweencontacts l3 and II and connection is made. between contacts 4-! end and "between contacts/Jihad m 48: :This action:- oreate'sesa circuit rithroughi reu rbatteryz circuit extendswirom the P Sitive -bat- I I :The alternating. Jon

whistle motor 23 is driven.

.iitivinaraqterr tery terminal through lead l4, spring", contact 4!, spring 45; wire 5|, wirelfl, terminal I5, wire 36, terminal 33, the secondary or transiormer 3', terminal 32, wire 38, terminal 31, wire 68, terminal 40, wire 20, clip l9, center rail 5 l4, connection 21 to the solenoid coil 25. The return from the solenoid 25 goes through outer rails ii and I2, clip I6, wire 51, terminal 33, wire '54, spring t3, contact 6!, spring 69, part of wire fit an'd-choks 'coil 51 to: the negative side or the battery 55121112 resistance coil 51, whichv laced in the alternating; c 1c! the switch S5,

below the operating but stilileaving suificw. whistle motor.

the voltage to '5- point the engine mo s minal siLthrough wir terr resistance '52; wire 53, spring it spring 45, wire 5 8, 59, manta 63, wire 64, terminal its, l1 and theside rails H and 52, From I I the transformer-the K mirrent nal 32, through. wire $8 to terminal 40'." He [going to the'center I cliplii, while part passes through H wire 66, spring B5,,contact52, sprinzfillf 58 which, as stated above, is connected opposite side .oi' 'the transforxnen Din-g 3 current division the engine is not driven bu It will thus understood that by placing in. the circuit anor'giinary one volt cell battery a currentis supplied to a suitable solenoid cpemt ing mechanism byniearis it which current fiow ing to'the whistle motor isopened "and at the will of the operator, this current passing through the same transmission "lines as those provided for the regular motor circuit by prcviding: anentirely independent circuit/by means of which thle'whistl'e and the locomotive can 'operatedat will, v v p p While I have described more crless precisely the details 01' construction, I donot'wish'to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I c021:

ftemplatejchanges, injforin and th proportion valen ot parts and the lsubstitution of circumstanes may suggest'or without departing frem ioroperating, said motors and acontroi device located' adjacent vto the, track comprising a re- ,rsistor in seriestwithsaid alternating. current sum ply, a dry cell battervtor supplying direct can .rent, and switching meansior selectively n It; meeting said dry cell battery across said resist-er v,toenergize saiddirectpurrent rela ty, ;and. con

, sections fromsaid resistor through said switch-" ing. means-, tpermanentliyconnecting said resistor m fi e-r otes the pi cult from said resistor and imposing nt s .9 1d

Witc n in were? gization oi the direct current relay in the other position of said switching means for the operation 01' the driving motor and the signal-actuatin the control device is provided with additional switchin: means 101' selectively introducing resistanoe into the circuit to decrease the alternatin: current potential therein to a level suincient to operate said signal-actuating motor but insuflicient to operate said driving motor.

EDWIN GEORGE GODDARD. 

